


the girlfriend game

by aroterano



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: #amethystneedsagirlfriend, Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love, amethyst - Freeform, amethyst is lonely and im actually sad about it, jasper is shy at the end, jaspethyst needs more shippers smh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:49:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24080041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aroterano/pseuds/aroterano
Summary: Amethyst didn't know it was this hard to get a girlfriend.
Relationships: Amethyst/Jasper
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	the girlfriend game

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to my wacky writing style

It had started with Pearl.

Tall, elegant Pearl, with her dyed pink hair, with her long arms and legs, holding a lost, scared Amethyst.

Pearl was there when Amethyst needed her.

Pearl had found Amethyst on the streets.

Pearl had cared for Amethyst—and she loved Amethyst.

But was it the same love Amethyst felt?

Amethyst was sure it was not. Not with Rose Quartz there. Pearl loved Rose Quartz the way Amethyst loved Pearl. Amethyst could see it, in the way she talked to her, the way she looked at her, the way she agreed with everything she said.

“Be your own person, Pearl,” Rose always said.

Amethyst could not be mad at Rose, though, could she? Rose was like the mother she never had.

But Rose had Greg. Greg Universe.

Amethyst liked Greg. He was funny. He was bold. He sang, too! Amethyst played the drums sometimes. She loved it. And Greg was the reason behind it.

Pearl hated Greg. She tolerated him, though, only for Rose.

Then Rose was pregnant. Pearl was infuriated. Pearl wanted to kill Greg. She cried and cried, in Amethyst’s arms. Garnet tried to comfort her. Tried to tell her it would be okay. Pearl only sniffed and turned her head away.

Rose hushed Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst away one day.

“I have something to tell you.”

Her melodic voice was filled with sorrow. Pearl gasped as Rose explained, explained how she had no chance of living after giving birth because of a medical condition, but that she  _ had  _ to.

“For Steven,” she croaked. Amethyst remembered the one time her melodic voice had turned hoarse.

When Steven was finally born, Pearl sobbed. Pearl wept all her tears out. Amethyst had never seen her like this before. She tried to comfort her.

Pearl only pushed her away.

The baby Rose Quartz had left them was, if anything, very cute. His curly hair was endearing. Pearl refused to see him. So Amethyst was there instead.

“Hey, little guy,” she had smiled.

Steven grew into a cheerful, loving little boy. His toothy grin made Amethyst laugh every time. Pearl had learned to love him.

Pearl finally understood, didn’t she?

Rose wasn’t coming back.

And through all of this, Amethyst smiled a little. She knew she shouldn’t. But she loved Pearl so much.

Why didn’t Pearl understand?

When Steven turned eight, Amethyst was in her senior year of college. That was the year Steven found the mirror. The mirror that Pearl had given him.

“Who’s that?” he had asked, pointing to the picture on the front. Amethyst didn’t get a good look, but it looked like a picture of a teenage girl.

Pearl smiled. “I don’t know. I found the mirror one day, back when...your mother was still alive. Back when we had that case with Homeworld.”

Steven had frowned and gone to his room.

He had figured it out.

He had communicated with the girl in the picture.

The mirror belonged to Lapis Lazuli.

Lapis had been mad.  _ So _ mad. Amethyst wasn’t sure what happened—one moment everything was fine, the next moment a tall, broken girl, the same age as Amethyst, with tan skin and choppy blue hair, was at the front door, demanding Steven come with her.

The next few hours were a blur. They had a fight. Steven talked to her. He came back to Pearl’s arms. Amethyst envied Steven, wishing it was her there.

“She had a scratch on her back. I put a band-aid there. She was from Homeworld,” he whispered into Pearl’s hair. She gasped, pushing him away.

“What?”

“B-but...they betrayed her. Thought she was part of the Crystal Gems. She said it was our fault.”

Pearl looked expectantly at Garnet, who said nothing, but, “Let’s hope that doesn’t happen again.”

A week later, Amethyst saw Lapis again. Walking with two other people—a tall, muscular, blonde-haired woman with vitiligo, and a shorter blonde with freckles and the nerdiest glasses she had ever seen. Amethyst swore the nerd was wearing stilts— _ something _ to make her taller.

Jasper, she learned. The tall one was Jasper. And the nerd was Peridot. They were from Homeworld. Jasper and Peridot harassed the Crystal Gems. Lapis watched silently, begging them to not react.

Was she tormented too?

Didn’t Peridot interrogate her?

Why did Amethyst care so much?

Jasper and Lapis started dating. Amethyst knew Lapis was only in it to hurt the muscular girl for all the pain she had caused. Amethyst had a feeling, and she knew it was right.

Peridot must’ve hated being the third wheel, because she left them alone, side-eyeing both of them.

“We’ve got to talk to Peridot,” Garnet declared. “She has information about Homeworld.”

And so the chase began.

Eventually, Steven caught up to Peridot. Amethyst, Pearl, and Garnet were all sitting quietly in the kitchen (not really  _ quietly _ , Amethyst was flirting with Pearl and Pearl was laughing—so only Garnet was quiet) when Steven burst in, running after a shorter-than-usual Peridot.

“She was using stilts!” he yelled as Peridot pushed past everyone.

“Clods!” the blonde screeched, trying to run up the stairs on her short legs. But Amethyst was already there.

“Hey,” Amethyst smirked, causing Peridot to blush.

Amethyst could handle this.

Peridot grumbled something under her breath and locked herself in their bathroom.

“I hate all of you!” she seemed to say daily, at around three in the afternoon. Steven always sighed.

“We’ve got to find Lapis,” Garnet said in a hushed voice one day.

“Yeah! She’s gone missing with Jasper, and Lapis isn’t happy with Jasper! They both aren’t!” Steven agreed.

Lapis Lazuli was hurting Jasper. Jasper was hurting Lapis Lazuli. Steven had talked to her—when did that happen? And Amethyst had been right.

Peridot finally talked to the Crystal Gems, revealing secrets about Homeworld. They were still fighting. Homeworld just hadn’t known until now.

When did Peridot become so close to Amethyst? Soon they talked all the time. Amethyst felt happier with Peridot, the same way she felt with…

Oh no. The same way she felt with Pearl. But Pearl didn’t like Amethyst in the same way Amethyst liked her. And Peridot—Peridot seemed to like Amethyst.

Sure, Peridot ranted a lot, and sometimes blurted things out that she shouldn’t have said, and didn’t have a social life—but the little nerd was cute. And she cared. She cared for the Crystal Gem’s cause.

That was evident when she yelled at her boss at Homeworld.

“I’m a Crystal Gem now? Where would my star be?” she cried. Garnet only laughed. They all had stars on their clothes.

Amethyst smiled. She couldn’t stop smiling.

And what about the time Peridot had saved her? Sure, she was mad at the blonde, but Peridot still saved her, didn’t she? And there Peridot was, straddling Amethyst, both of them breathing heavily.

Of  _ course _ Peridot had to freak out. “Sorry, sorry, sorry, I’m so sorry!” she yelped. Amethyst only chuckled in response.

They hung out more and more, and got closer and closer. Peridot moved into a small barn. There, they planned how to “attack” Homeworld.

Amethyst came to the barn often.

“You know, P-dot, you’re pretty fun to hang out with,” Amethyst grinned, getting as close to her friend as possible.

“Oh?” Peridot answered, confused.

Amethyst placed her hand on the blonde’s cheek. “Would you mind if I…”

Their lips brushed against each other. Amethyst felt her heart pound in her chest, exhilaration filling her, her face getting warmer and redder—

“Amethyst!” Steven called from the other room.

Amethyst pulled away as fast as she could. She had been so close—but there would be other chances.

“Amethyst!” Steven panted, coming into the room. “We found Lapis! You’re going with Pearl and Garnet. I’m going with Peridot to the Cluster!”

Amethyst nodded.

“The Cluster, huh?” Peridot asked, dazed.

The Cluster was where Homeworld had their experiments.

As Amethyst hopped into the car, she felt enlightened.

_ Peridot, _ Amethyst thought.  _ Of all people, that little nerd has caught my heart. _

Amethyst found herself in a strange place. She saw Lapis fighting with Jasper in the corner of a street. Garnet and Pearl and Amethyst all ran towards them.

They broke up the fight, of course. Jasper got away, almost dragging an unconscious (how did that happen?) Lapis with her.

Amethyst grasped Lapis’ hand in the nick of time.

_ Wow. _ Amethyst soft.  _ Her hand is soft. _

Why did Amethyst want to save Lapis so much? Lapis didn’t like Amethyst. Lapis didn’t like anyone, except Steven.

Garnet took Lapis, carrying her. Why did Amethyst feel a tinge of… _ jealousy _ in her veins?

Why was Amethyst feeling so much?

And what about Pearl?

_ Pearl never liked me _ , Amethyst thought.  _ Right? _

Why did Pearl come to her for comfort, then?

Amethyst felt a lump in her throat.

Steven and Peridot were excited when the other Gems came back. Peridot, obviously, started rambling right away. Amethyst smiled.  _ Cute _ .

When Lapis woke up, she wanted to leave.

She was still mad. She hated the Crystal Gems. She hated Beach City. She hated everything.

Steven found a way to calm her. That’s what Steven does, right? Steven had helped Amethyst when she had thought she was nothing.

Amethyst sighed. Everything was going to be alright.

Amethyst got a text from Steven.

**_Steven:_ ** _ Homeworld! _

Garnet and Pearl got it too. They rushed towards the Barn.

But Lapis had it under control. Of course she did.

“Peridot,” she turned to face the blond.

Amethyst knew that Lapis hated Peridot. She knew Peridot was trying to make it up to her.

A worried look passed Peridot’s face.

“Are you okay?”

The worried look turned into the largest grin Amethyst had ever seen. Lapis blushed and looked away. “Uh…”

Amethyst was filled with rage.

_ It’s nothing. Peridot doesn’t like Lapis. That’s not how it is. _

That didn’t stop Amethyst from worrying.

Peridot still wanted to hang out. It would be fine.

Right?

Even when the Shorty Squad (Steven, Amethyst, and Peridot) hung out, Lapis would seem to come into the conversation. At first it was just Steven asking about her and Peridot.

But Amethyst swore that when an ad for  _ Cute roommates! _ had come up on Peridot’s tablet (gifted to her by Steven earlier that day), Peridot had muttered that she was, “All set.”

Peridot was talking about Lapis.

Peridot had called Lapis cute.

Amethyst’s fight with Jasper didn’t help. They had found each other, and the next moment, Jasper had pinned Amethyst against the ground, laughing.

Steven decided to cheer her up by visiting the Barn. As if that would help.

Peridot and Lapis were getting on so well, it was sickening.

Right after their meet-up, Peridot led them to Jasper’s old home. The muscular blonde was there. Amethyst fought Jasper again. Steven helped, and they kicked her ass, even when Jasper brought a friend along.

The last thing they had seen was her running into a house, scratches all over her body, something intoxicating in her.

They ran to Garnet and Pearl, who were supportive, of course.

Why was it that that night, Amethyst could only think of Lapis and Peridot? Together?

And what was this? Whenever just the two of them hung out, Peridot would blabber on about Lapis. Lapis this, Lapis that. Something about their stupid meep morps.

Just before Thanksgiving, they adopted a dog. Amethyst had to admit the dog was cute.

“Her name’s Pumpkin,” Lapis decided in a matter-of-fact way. Peridot grinned at her.

And, yeah, they tried to teach Pumpkin how to say clod. Like it was their kid.

_ Their kid. Are they dating? _

Amethyst thought about the dinner—which had been interrupted by Andy DeMayo, Greg’s cousin. Everyone laughed at Peridot’s jokes.

Only Peridot laughed at Lapis’ jokes.

_ No. No, no, no, no no! _

One day, Peridot barged into Amethyst’s home. “Amethyst, I need to tell you something.”

“Mmm…yeah?” Amethyst said flatly, trying to sound uninterested.

“I’m going to ask Lapis out.”

Amethyst tried to hold in the sob in her throat. “You’re going to what? I mean—that’s great!” A fake grin crossed her face.

“She’ll say yes, right?”

“Who could say no to you, Peri? And have you  _ seen  _ the looks she gives you? She’s probably wondering why she hasn’t seduced you yet.”

Peridot’s cheeks flushed.

_ Why is she so cute? _

The worst part was that Amethyst was telling her the truth. Who would have the nerve to say to no Peridot? She would say yes. And the looks Lapis gave her—how did Peridot  _ not _ notice them?

“Well, I…” Peridot mumbled something incoherently.

Amethyst sighed. “You should ask her, Peridot,” she repeated, her voice tight.

“Yeah. I should.”

Lapis and Peridot were together.

Amethyst could feel her insides boiling, and she wanted to scream until her voice gave out. Envy filled her to the brim.

_ Peridot was mine! Lapis took her! _

Amethyst knew that wasn’t true. But whenever Lapis kissed Peridot, or Peridot sat in Lapis’ lap, or they held each other in their arms, Amethyst wanted to sob. Sob and weep until her eyes ran dry.

Pearl. Pearl still liked her, right? Even if it was just a little bit?

Sure, they argued. But Pearl would cry if Amethyst died, right?

Right?

Amethyst’s only comfort was Pearl. Talking to her, she felt better. The only thing that could ruin it was if Lapis and Peridot were in the same room…together.

Even Pearl started thinking about other people. Someone who reminded her of Rose. They talked often. Pearl still liked Amethyst, though, right?

Amethyst was sure of it.

But then news of Homeworld came, didn’t it? Steven was lost, things happened, and his friend Connie—why were they fighting, anyway?

Lapis left. 

She was scared of Homeworld.

She hated Homeworld.

Amethyst asked Peridot what happened.

“It’s my fault! I should’ve told her earlier I didn’t want to go with her! I wanted to stay and—and fight!” the blonde cried.

Amethyst comforted her, like she had comforted Rose.

“She’s going to come back, right Amethyst?”

Amethyst’s voice was tight when she said, “Yeah. Yeah, she will.” 

Peridot started getting better. She laughed more, hung out with Amethyst a lot.

When Steven told her Lapis had been watching all of them, especially Peridot, because she missed her, because she  _ wanted _ to come back, Peridot’s lip quivered. She missed Lapis. She wanted Lapis.

But Steven had told Lapis about his dreams. And she had only ran farther.

Amethyst helped Peridot get better. Amethyst longed for her friend, but the blonde’s heart was with Lapis.

Amethyst still tried to help Peridot. Pearl was there. Pearl liked Amethyst, right?

Things were going fine.

Until Bismuth returned.

Bismuth had come before, too. A few days after Lapis and Peridot moved into the Barn, Steven had found her. Amethyst was skeptical to see her at first, but Pearl had been overjoyed.

But Bismuth used to have a plan to beat Homeworld—a dangerous one. Steven had quietly come in, stating that Bismuth had to leave.

Garnet’s moms, Ruby and Sapphire, were finally getting married. For so long, they had been together, but they never had the chance to get married—Homeworld had always hated gay people, and relationships in general. And to add to that, Pearl had revealed that Rose Quartz was Pink Diamond, a former member of Homeworld. This had broken their relationship for a while, as Rose had helped them go against what  _ Homeworld _ thought. Luckily, they were reunited by the help of Amethyst and Steven, all the while Amethyst finally poured her thoughts about Rose being Pink on Steven.

Bismuth was a friend of Garnet’s. So of course Bismuth had to come.

This time was so different. Amethyst didn’t notice at first. She laughed at Bismuth’s jokes. But near the end of the wedding, Bismuth and Pearl kept flirting with each other.

Amethyst couldn’t think about it for too long, though. Homeworld had crashed the party.

And then  _ Lapis Lazuli _ crashed Homeworld—Blue Diamond, specifically. Amethyst couldn’t stop staring at her.

“Lapis!” Peridot cried, running in her yellow dress. “You’re really here.”

“Hey.”

The fight was a blur. Lapis had said something hot, something along the lines of, “I’ve felt worse.” Peridot was knocked unconscious, and then Lapis.

Steven finally stopped them all by saying that Rose Quartz was Pink Diamond.

The next few days were a blur, especially after Amethyst herself hit the ground, unconscious. There was a ball. She danced with Pearl. They had given her stilts, because she was short and overdone, and—

She had danced with Pearl.

And now Steven shook her awake. Bismuth, Lapis, and Peridot were there. Bismuth had stayed to rebuild Steven’s house (which had been torn down) and take care of Lapis and Peridot.

Amethyst’s head wasn’t clear for the next few hours. It felt like someone had been controlling her. But they had won. They had convinced White Diamond that what she was doing was wrong.

Lapis and Peridot must’ve had their talk while getting to Homeworld, because they were on good terms now.

Amethyst said a hello to Jasper. The brute was shy for once. Amethyst grinned.

Two years later, Spinel came.

Amethyst lost her memory.

Amethyst regained her memory.

Pearl and Garnet had also lost their memories. Pearl regained hers and then danced with Amethyst.

Oh, and Spinel was there.

She made them lose their memories.

But then she lost hers, too.

Steven fought Spinel, and changed her mind.

He was so much more mature now.

Spinel moved in with the Diamonds.

And it was all because of Steven Quartz Cutie Pie DeMayo Diamond Universe.

Amethyst smiled.

Bismuth was with Pearl.

Amethyst was alone. 

She just wanted someone to lean on, was it that hard?

Why was it so easy for Pearl?

Why did she fall in love with everyone?

“Hey, Amethyst,” Jasper grinned, shoving an ice-cream into her hand.

Steven had left Beach City. Jasper had finally come around to Little Homeschool, the school Steven used to run. The muscular girl even went to Lapis’ art classes, mostly to pester her. Amethyst was pretty sure Lapis could only handle Jasper because Peridot was around to calm the blue-haired girl down.

Yeah, the blunette was dating the short blonde again.

Amethyst started hanging out with Jasper a lot. It was weird. They used to fight—physically. And seriously. But now, Amethyst was glad to see Jasper.

Jasper had been sincere and said sorry. “I know I’ve done a lot wrong,” she had said. “But I hope you can forgive me. That we can be friends.”

“Did Steven put you up to this? Drop the act.”

Jasper laughed when Amethyst said that. “Thank god. Nah, Steven didn’t make me do this apologizing shit. I really am sorry.”

“I’m glad.”

They started hanging out a lot. And Amethyst liked it. She tried to get rid of the nagging comment at the back of her mind, telling her that she  _ liked _ Jasper. Jasper didn’t like her back. There was no way. They were great as friends.

That’s it. Just friends.

Now here Amethyst was, Jasper handing her a dripping ice-cream cone.

“You got something on your mind, Jasp?” Amethyst asked, looking at her friend.

“Well, uh,” Jasper looked away. “Maybe I do.”

Amethyst swore a blush creeped on the tall blonde’s face. 

“What is it?”

“Look, I have something to tell you.” Jasper was visibly nervous. “I…really like you. As more than just a friend.”

Amethyst heart leapt. Jasper liked her, too? She did the only thing she could think of.

She smashed her lips with Jasper.

The tall blonde gasped against her mouth. Amethyst laughed, pulling away. “You should have just said so, dude!”

A wide grin was stuck on both of their faces for the rest of the day.

Amethyst finally had someone.

**Author's Note:**

> tell me what you think about this! the ending is kind of rushed but i did my best to incorporate everything i could in the timeline.  
> i didnt know if i should share this because i literally thought i was the only one who shipped jasper and amethyst - turns out im not? i've also shipped pearlmethyst since i was eight and still ship it but bispearl is canon and i like it, so jaspame was the way to go here.
> 
> also shy jasper is just


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